Status: 02/22/2022 12:59 p.m
The federal government is putting the controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline on hold for the time being: the approval process has been stopped in view of the Russian actions in Ukraine, said Chancellor Scholz. Putin is massively violating international law.
The controversial natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 will not go into operation for the time being. In view of the recent moves by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine, the German government has decided to halt the project for the time being. This was announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a press conference.
With a view to the new developments, the situation had to be reassessed, Scholz justified the decision. That is why he asked the Federal Ministry of Economics to take the necessary administrative steps so that the gas pipeline cannot be certified for the time being. The approval process is now being rolled out again – and that “will certainly drag on,” said Scholz. “And without this certification, Nord Stream 2 cannot go into operation.”
Chancellor Scholz sees no basis for operating Nord Stream 2 due to the escalation in eastern Ukraine.
Image: dpa
“Putin has no backing for his actions”
On Monday evening, Putin recognized the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin chief also ordered Russian soldiers to be sent to eastern Ukraine. He is planning an invasion of Ukraine for the second time since 2014. In the past few weeks, Russia had massed around 150,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine, according to Western sources.
Scholz accused Putin of seriously violating international law and the Minsk Agreement. Putin is breaking with the United Nations Charter and “with all international agreements that the country has entered into over the past 50 years.” Scholz emphasized that the integrity and sovereignty of each country and the immovability of borders must be respected. Russia has “no support from the world community” for its actions.
Scholz announces closely coordinated sanctions
Scholz announced internationally coordinated sanctions for the course of the day. “Now it is up to the international community to respond to these unilateral, incomprehensible and unjustified actions by the Russian President,” he said. “Closely aligned, well coordinated and targeted, so that we send a clear signal to Moscow that such actions do not go unnoticed.” Scholz emphasized that there were “further sanctions that we can take if further measures are taken.”
These are currently very difficult days and hours for Europe, said the Chancellor. “Nearly 80 years after the end of the Second World War, war is looming in Eastern Europe. It is our task to avert such a catastrophe and I once again appeal to Russia to help.”
Zelenskyj calls for a pipeline stop
The Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj had previously called for the “immediate” stop of the Baltic Sea pipeline. In view of the “new aggressive action against Ukraine,” sanctions must be imposed immediately, Zelensky said in Kiev, referring to the recent escalation in the conflict with Russia. “These sanctions must include the complete halt to Nord Stream 2.”
So far no gas has flowed
Although the 1,230 kilometer double line from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany has been completed, no natural gas has yet flowed through the pipeline. The certification process was recently on hold. The Federal Network Agency suspended the procedure in November and demanded that the operating company be organized under German law. Nord Stream 2 AG intends to comply with the establishment of a German subsidiary progeny.
At a recent meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden made it clear that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would mean the end of the line that had already been completed. In the event of sanctions against Russia, the German government had kept all options open, but had not yet made a commitment with regard to Nord Stream 2.